1980 Special Award - Lee Tressel
GRINDSTONE AWARD
1980

Special Award

Lee
Tressel
In his 33 years as a football coach, Lee Tressel has had more than his share of winning teams. This is certainly a tribute to his coaching skills. But his contributions to the lives of the young men on his teams and to the schools and the communities where he has lived and worked are an even greater tribute to his greatness as a human being.

On his retirement from coaching on November 25, 1980, it is fitting that the larger community of Berea and Baldwin Wallace honor Lee Tressel with this special Grindstone Award.

Lee was born in Ada, Ohio, and was educated there and at Baldwin-Wallace College, from which he graduated in 1948 after two years in military service. He went immediately into coaching, returning to Ada High School for his first job. He coached football in Massillon and Mentor before coming to Baldwin-Wallace in 1958.

His winning record at B-W in 23 years as head football coach - 154 wins, 53 losses and 6 ties - will be hard to match. The zenith of his coaching career occurred in 1978 when his Baldwin-Wallace Yellow Jackets were NCAA Division III national champions and Tressel was named National College Coach of the Year. On three occasions, the most recent in 1980, he was honored as both Ohio College Coach of the Year and Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

Lee is an author of articles and manuals on coaching and is a frequent speaker at athletic meetings. In 1974 he received the Golden Deeds Award of the Greater Cleveland Football Coaches Association. He also is in the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame and in the Baldwin Wallace Lettermens Hall of Fame.

Lee is a member of several football coaches associations, the American Legion and the First Congregational United Church of Christ. He has been on the board of directors of the Greater Cleveland Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a member of Rotary Club. Lee and his wife, Eloise, who is very active in community affairs in her own right, are the parents of Dick, Dave and Jim. The sons are all gifted athletes. Tressels live at 396 Beech Street.
Presented December 7, 1980 Ursprung Gymnasium, Berea